Jan 22nd

Nothing about ravens - just a brief update on Madame:

*) Madame is reasonably cheerful within herself - but so weak, and her lips and gums are very pale indeed. Its pitiful, but except for making sure she is not falling and getting scared, I have to keep everything as normal as possible, for her sake.

*) We've got to wait for the results. The blood samples were sent to a specialist yesterday. The results might be in tonight, more probably tomorrow. I decided not to search the web before I know precisely what is wrong with Madame.

Virtual hugs and cuddles for Madame are very much appreciated!

Jan 21st

I had to take Madame to the vet today - she was so weak, she couldn't even walk upstairs last night. 

She was too weak to walk today, she just went to the garden once, stumbling.

Result so far: she has anaemia, the cause is not clear, so the vet sent her blood samples away for further investigations. 

We'll know by the weekend. 

Meanwhile: no exercise, and no medication for the next few days. 

While we go to and come back from the vet in a taxi, I walked there to pick her up. This walk takes me through Pontcanna Fields. I wanted to see if there were some ravens.  

Indeed I saw a couple, quite a way off, and one sitting in a huge sycamore. 

Now that we're back, all I can do is keep Madame safe, so she doesn't fall and get scared - and wait for the results.

Jan 20th

As predicted, we're having rain, which is icy cold, and it is already snowing a bit further East, in Wales and England.  

Earlier in the morning, Madame stepped into the back garden - and came straight back indoors, not happy with the weather. 

So I did not take her into Llandaff Fields: we only walked down the back lane and back again. She was so slow - it was all I wanted her to do - she does need exercise, even if its just an infinitesimal amount.

We did hear raven calls, earlier and far away, coming from Pontcanna Fields - and when we got back from our little walk, two ravens called from the rooftops as we walked along. 

I am not going out alone today to feed them, because I do not want to leave Madame on her own. 

Depending on how she does, and depending on the weather, we may venture out tomorrow, either together or me on my own.

The ravens might perhaps be more keen to come for their scraps when I miss feeding them for a day or so ...

Jan 19th

Madame had a better night, so we ventured out. It was grey and damp when we left at 7.35 a.m., and it was still darkish. 

The robins have started to sing around 6.30 a.m., in the dark, and the ravens have also started to call around that time.

There were no raven calls when we got into the first field. We walked straight to the ravens field, Madame on her lead. No ravens in sight on the way there - but once in the ravens field, two were sitting in the big sycamore, at the fence to the tennis courts, clearly visible amongst the bare branches. 

I had brought some scraps which I was going to throw into the enclosure, but they came down to the ground, so I fed them there and then.

It was the young pair. 

While one of them, as with the bold pair, aims to get more scraps than his companion, he only snaffles up three of them before he flies off to hide them. 

His companion takes just one before flying off as well.

We did not go to the enclosure - Archie (a nice, teenage whippet) turned up, trying to get some of the scraps, so we went back to the big field. 

The young pair followed in the usual way, and the quarry pair turned up as well. Both kept their distance, both got the rest of the scraps. 

We tried to go back home in a straight line - but Toby and Cookie (both Border Collies) were there, so we had a brief chat. Their owners saw how the four ravens walked behind me, to get the final little pieces, they thought it was hilarious!

Then Bas came, so that was the end of the outing. 

Depending on how Madame is doing overnight, and depending on the weather - it might rain, it might even snow - we'll decide tomorrow morning about going out.

Jan 18th

No ravens - Madame had a bad night, had to take her to the vet, first thing this morning. He's not doing anything yet - I'll have to observe Madame closely for the next few days. 

I'm upset, don't know how this will turn out.

Sorry.